Numbers 27:12-17: a reflection

When God tells Moses that he will soon die and not enter the promised land, Moses' response is striking for its selflessness: his first concern is not for himself but for the people he will leave behind. Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, Moses prays, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd. Facing his own death, Moses does not turn inward on his own loss; he turns outward, to the good of the people, praying that they might have a shepherd to lead them after he is gone. His concern reaches beyond his own life to the welfare of those he leaves behind. This is the heart of a true shepherd, and of selfless love: to be concerned, even in the face of our own death, for the good of others beyond our own time. Moses' care for the people did not stop at the border of his own life; he prayed for their care after him. Selfless concern reaches beyond ourselves, even beyond our own time, to the good of others.

Notice the direction of Moses' concern as he faces death: outward, to the people, not inward on himself. Told he would die and not enter the land, Moses might have been consumed with his own loss, his own disappointment; but his prayer is for the people, that they might have a shepherd to lead them after he is gone, that they not be like sheep without a shepherd. His concern reached beyond his own life to the welfare of those he would leave behind. This is selfless love: a concern for others' good that reaches even beyond our own time, that cares for those who will remain after we are gone. Moses did not cling to his own loss but looked to the people's future care. To be concerned, even in the face of our own death or departure, for the good of those we leave behind is the mark of a selfless and shepherding heart. Our concern can reach beyond ourselves, beyond even our own lifetime, to the good of others. Selfless love looks beyond its own time to the welfare of those who remain. Moses prayed for the people's shepherd, not for himself.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to a selfless concern for the good of others, even beyond our own time. We can be consumed, especially in the face of our own loss or departure, with ourselves, our own disappointment; but Moses, told he would die, prayed not for himself but for the people, that they might have a shepherd after he was gone. Selfless love reaches beyond our own life to the welfare of those we leave behind. To care for the good of others even beyond our own time is the mark of a selfless heart. Do not be consumed with yourself, even in the face of loss; be concerned, as Moses was, for the good of others beyond your own time. Let your concern reach beyond yourself, even beyond your own time, to the good of those you will leave behind, as Moses, told he would die, prayed not for himself but that God would give the people a shepherd so they would not be as sheep without one; for selfless love does not turn inward on its own loss but looks outward to the welfare of others, even those who will remain after we are gone, and to care for the good of others beyond our own time is the mark of a selfless and shepherding heart.